It's been almost a week since A-Rod met wth the press in Tampa. Most say it did not go well and there have already been some holes poked in his story. Mattingly came out today and defended him, while others in the media are really throwing him under the bus. What are your thoughts on A-Rod? Please just click on the word "comments" below to share your thoughts ...
6 comments:
I really wanted to get behind the guy, and when the season starts, I'm sure I will. Compared to some of these clowns and thugs in professional sports, Alex isn't that bad. He works hard, and most of his teammates seem to like him. Still, I'd like to see the Yankees find a way out of his contact. It's just too much, all the time. I'm old enough to remember the "Bronx Zoo" days of the '70s and '80s, and when things settled down in the late '90s, I didn't miss that nonsense at all. It was nice to simply follow a great baseball team for many years and simply be able to talk about baseball and a very likeable bunch of guys. I've been following all of the post-press conference A-Rod news, and here is why I am disappointed in what happened last week, and why I'd like the Yankees to try and part ways with A-Rod:
1) He kept saying he was "young and stupid," as if he was a teenager. And he even tried to shave off a few years from his actual age when doing so. He was about 26-28 years old in Texas when he was doing the juice, and had just signed one of the biggest sports contracts in history. He was not that young, and he is not a stupid man. We've got 18-19 year old kids over in the Middle East right now still fighting in wars for this country, and we don't consider them "young and stupid," and I'm sure they wouldn't want to be thought of in that way.
2) He claims he really wasn't even sure what it was he was taking, or if it helped. Yeah, right. Lots of people would let their "cousin" stick them with a needle a few times a month for three years and not know what it is he's putting into their body. And if you didn't think it was helping, why continue for three years? This was probably the worse part of the whole story.
3) A big part of the reason the Yanks brought him back after he opted out was the idea of him breaking the all-time home run record as a Yankee. Make no mistake: that was a huge factor in that decision. There are huge bonuses included in his deal for when he passes people like Mays, Ruth and Aaron. Well, that's now completely ruined. In fact, instead of being a cool thing to watch, it will be a joke, just like it was with Bonds. Don't want that mess in our new house. Don't want that mess hovering over my team for the next nine years.
Here's what should have happened last week:
1. Alex admits using steroids.
2. Alex says he was a big boy at the time, and knew exactly what he was doing.
3. Alex says it was going on everywhere at the time, and he was just trying to keep up with the pack. That's fair, and probably true.
4. Alex says he felt a lot of pressure after signing the huge deal with Texas. That's fair, and probably true.
5. Alex says he was concerned about playing in 95 degree weather for six months every day. That's fair, and probably true.
6. Alex tells what he used it, why he used it, how he used it, and that he is sorry. He makes no excuses.
7. Alex says he will donate all of the money he makes from the bonuses of passing Mays, Ruth, Aaron and Bonds to a charitable group that helps kids steer away from steroids.
8. Alex defends his skills as a baseball player, and notes that he has had great seasons - some of his best - when he was not using. I'd have no problem with that. The man has been under a lot of attack. It's human nature to also defend yourself a bit, and he has every right to do that, just as anyone would.
That's it. I think I'm being very fair. If he did those few things, he'd be almost a hero and rise above a lot these guys that used. It would all pass over much more quickly and easily. But he didn't do that. The truth will indeed set you free. He didn't tell it. And now, it looks like the Yanks might not be free of this big pain in the ass for almost a decade.
If I'm the Steinbrenners and Cashman, I'm really looking for a way out.
Alex said the stuff he used was available over-the-counter in Panama or someplace, which isn't true. Not good. he has no clue how forgiving people can be if you just come clean.
Joba had a DUI this winter. Could have hurt somebody. A-Rod only hurt himself, yet he's getting killed in the press. He seems to think that the truth is worse than it actually is. Tell the whole truth and don't play dumb, and people WILL forgive. Now, it's almost too late for that.
I think Jeter has had enough. And if Jeter is unhappy, I am unhappy.
I hate to say it, but I told you so. If there was anyone who was head-case enough to do anything to get one-up on the competition it's A-Rod. When his name came up in "Vindicated" it didn't surprise me. When his name was leaked it didn't surprise me. When he gave the sports equivalent of the "I didn't inhale" statement it didn't surprise me.
The Yanks are in a tough place - they are stuck with him for a decade. Back in November when he "opted out" I was not upset. I was shocked when the Yanks gave in and signed him anyway. They should have left his Roid-injected ass without a team.
And like you said at lunch today, Son has to stand next to him the rest of his career. And whether A-Rod is clean or not going forward, the whispers will be there. Any championship that the Yankees win with him will be tainted because no one will be able to get the "is he or isn't he" question out of their head.
This may fade away but it won't go far. And it will continuously be thrown in the face of Yankee fans everytime his name is mentioned in a positive light.
And, before fans of other teams open their mouths about this, they should look in their own team's clubhouses. Look at those guys who turned on the power (both pitching and hitting) in the twilights of their careers. The guys who got an extra 5-10 mph on their fastballs overnight, or went from 20 to 50 or more HRs in a season.
They're out there on every contending team.
- Rosey
I agree that what ARod did was wrong, but what bothers me about the whole situation is, the testing when he tested positive was supposed to be anonymous. So, out of the 100 or so players that did test positive, why is ARod taking all the heat. I think that MLB (especially Bud Selig) should grow a set and release all the names. I understand that Arod is arguably one of the best in the game, but I think that it is ridiculous that his name was the only one we have heard from this 2003 testing. Why? Is it because he tends to stay away from the media? or that he plays in New York? or that he is going to break records? ALL the names should be released. And, if they are going to start talking about taking away records or statistics, MLB should start that with Bonds, McGwire, Sosa and Clemens......they lied. ARod stood up and took the heat. No matter what he said, "young and stupid" or whatever, he stood there and took it. He did the right thing, just like Andy Pettite did last year.
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